Never loved you anyway?
by Dreamer not believer
Summary: *CHAPTER 8 UP!* Draco and Hermine are Head Girl and Boy, and have to share a common room, but with one problem, they hate each other, or do they? And are they still stubborn enough not to admit it? (Voldemort comes back too, but will Draco join him?)
1. Perfect Start to the Perfect Year

a/n - this is my 1st fanfic, so please keep reading, it mite get better! Basically, draco and hermione are head boy and head girl, and hate each other at first, but then get closer, but a few little things are standing in their way, like oh, I don't know, voldemort for example-so start reading and reviewing!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of its characters, goddamnit! I could be a millionairess, but JK beat me to it!  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
Hermione Granger was sat in a carriage on the Hogwarts Express with her 2 best friends Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. They were all in 7th year and grown up a lot; Ron and Hermione in particular, as Hermione had a much better figure, and Ron had, well, been busy over the summer, growing a moustache (a/n: LOL - it's funny, we know!). They had all been playing Exploding Snap and now Ron's newly grown tache was black and singed. He went to shave it off, as Harry and Hermione's ribs had nearly cracked from laughing at him that much.  
  
'Hermione,' said Harry, 'I'm so glad you got Head Girl position, you really deserve it' 'Thanks,' she replied, 'But I just wish I knew who the Head Boy is, I mean, we will be sharing a common room, so they should have told me in the letter!' she carried on, getting a bit angry.  
  
Ron returned, and the three friends kept talking about who it could be, when the compartment door slid open. A tall, blonde boy in Slytherin robes, accompanied by two enormous bodyguards, who looked like a well fed version of Dumb and Dumber, who, between them, didn't have enough brains to fill an eggcup, appeared at the doorway.  
  
'Potty, Weasel and the Mublood,' Malfoy said sarcastically, 'What a pleasure!'  
  
Ron and Harry jumped up at the word Mudblood (a/n: for those who don't know, mudblood's a really nasty name for a witch/wizard who was has muggle parents/muggle blood, but getting on.), but Hermione pulled them back.  
  
'Clamp it Malfoy, and shove off,' said Harry, trembling with rage.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles as a threat, as Malfoy said, 'Watch your step Potter, or those green eyes will be black eyes.'  
  
Now it was Hermiones turn to stand up. 'You really think you 3 jerkoffs could touch us with me here? I wasn't made Head Girl for being the dumbest ass in the class you know! I don know a few curses, and I'd like to see you try and hurt us with your head on back to front!'  
  
Malfoys silvery/blue eyes opened wide. 'You're the new Head Girl?!' he spat out.  
  
'That's right!' Hermione said, looking smug. 'C'mon, lets go,' said Draco and he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle gave one last dark glance, through their tiny, black, beetle-like eyes, and turned around to quickly walk off, but something large was in the doorway blocking their path out. 


	2. This is going to be a long year

Diclaimer: I do not own harry potter  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
The compartment door.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle had walked straight into it, and ten bounced back off it, rubbing their noses in pain.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione burst out laughing.  
  
'Smooth move! Said Ron, howling with laughter. 'You'll find walking a hell of a lot easier if you open your eyes while you do it!'  
  
'Just because you can't see the glass, it doesn't mean it's not there!' said Hermione slowly, as if she was talking to 2 stupid foreigners (a/n: well, near enough I suppose!)  
  
They stopped rubbing their noses, and turned around, looking ready to kill (which they probably were!), but just at that moment, Draco came in.  
  
'Come on!' he shouted at them, shooting evil looks at Hermione.  
  
They shot one last dirty look at them, and followed him obediently, nuttering things like, '.Of all the stupid places to put a door, anyone could walk into it if they put it there,' and 'that glass shouldn't be so see-through!'  
  
They continued laughing, but after a while, Ron looked puzzled.  
  
'Seriously though Hermione, what is Malfoy's problem with you being Head- girl?' he wondered out loud. 'I dunno, he probably thinks muggle-borns shouldn't be made Head-girl.' said Hermione. 'Who cares anyway, it's only Malfoy!' said Harry, setting up Exploding Snap once more. 'Yeah.' said Hermione, but she couldn't help being slightly worried. 


	3. A Potions Accident and 'Voldemort'

A/n: I got 4 reviews! Thanks u guys! Right, this chapter cud b the best so far, so read and review!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harrry Potter, only the plot.  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
Hermione had just woken up. It was Monday morning and she came out in her vest top and shorts yawning, at 7:00 am. She went into the kitchen and put the kettle on to make a cup of coffee (she needed the caffeine). She was just adding the milk when Draco came in. They were both too tired to argue though, so they just ignored each other. They went back to their rooms to het changed, and had finally properley woken up. They made their way to the portrait hole, and tried to get out.at the same time. They both got lodged in there, and would not move to let the other through, so they were there arguing for 5 minutes.  
  
'Watch it Granger!' Draco said angrilly.  
  
'Well if you lost a few pounds, we wouldn't be stuck here would we?!' she retorted.  
  
But she didn't really mean that. No matter how much she hated Malfoy, she couldn't deny that Quidditch was doing wonders for his body. After 5 more minutes of grunting, arguing, pushing and shoving, they finally pushed their way out and made their way to the Great Hall, and joined their separate tables.  
  
Draco sat down next to Crabbe and said, 'So what've we got now?'  
  
'Errr..oh yeah! Double Potions!' he said grinning stupidly, proud that he had remembered.  
  
'Great, Gryffindors first thing on a Monday morning,' he said to himself, looking over at their table, or more specifically, Hermione. 'Just what I need!'  
  
He kept on staring at her, wondering why he was doing this and couldn't stop, when Pansy Parkinson sat down next to him.  
  
'Hiya Draco,' she said, in a sickeningly nice voice.  
  
'What do you want?' he said shortly, hoping she would get the hint.  
  
She didn't.  
  
'Well, I was wondering if you wanted to sit next to me in potions today?' she enquired.  
  
'That's a hard one-let me think, no!' he said. He got up, went up to his room, got his bags, and left for potions.  
  
Meanwhile, Hermione was talking to Ron and Harry about Malfoy becoming Head Boy.  
  
'You've got to share a common room with him!' Ron sounded outraged.  
  
'Ron, calm down!' she said slowly, watching him as he shot dagger looks at Draco, as he pushed Pansy away and left.  
  
'Potions next,' she said, hoping to change the subject, but all she got was moans and groans from Dean, Seamus, Ron, Harry and Neville (who was back from the hospital wing, although he couldn't eat much)  
  
At 8:25, they all decided to leave for the dungeons, and walked down the winding steps that led to, possibly, their worst lesson. They went through the door and sat down at the benches at the back of the classroom.  
  
'We'll be starting a new potion today,' announced Snape, the greasy haired potion teacher.  
  
'It's called the Engorgio potion. Can anyone tell me what it does?'  
  
Hermione raised her hand, but as usual, was ignored by Snape.  
  
'No one?' said Snape, a grin creeping across his sallow skinned face. 'I must set you extra homework, then you might remember a potion or two! Anyone?' he asked again.  
  
This time, Draco raised his hand as well as Hermione, and said, 'It makes whatever it touches grow bigger. The higher the concentration of the potion, or the higher the number of drops put on the object, it will make the desired object turn even bigger, more quickly. The potion maker must be careful when making it though, as if it comes into contact with skin, I will corrode and burn it.'  
  
'Excellent Mr. Malfoy, take 15 points for Slytherin.' said Snape, looking delighted at the Gryffindors enraged faces.  
  
But Draco did not turn around to look at Hermione to rub it in as he usually did, but luckily no one noticed.  
  
'You will all need partners for this, so if you all come to the front, I will tell you where you will be working, and who you will be working with.'  
  
He called out names from a piece of parchment and pointed at various places around the dungeon.  
  
'Crabbe and Goyle, Thomas and Finnigan, Potter and Malfoy, Parkinson and Weasley, Granger and Longbottom.'  
  
Neville and Hemione sat down in their places, and set up the equipment needed.  
  
'No, Neville, not there! No! Put.that.THERE!' she said in an exasperated voice, trying to prevent Neville from blowing himself up.  
  
'Like that?' Neville said, putting 2 unicorn hairs in the cauldron together.  
  
'NO!' Hermione screamed, as the potion exploded over Neville and herself in a large bang, and a mountain of bright pink liquid.  
  
Over at Harry and Draco's table, things were not going much better either. They were arguing quietly.  
  
'I mean it Malfoy, you make her year hell, and I'll never rest until I've blown you up into a thousand pieces!' Harry hissed.  
  
'I never knew you cared so much about her!' he sneered, but he was secretly angry. 'Why would I want to make her year hell?' he thought, 'I don't even hate her that much-wait.what am I thinking? She's just an ugly little mudblood!' but he felt a pang of guilt just thinking it. Suddenly, a loud bang and a scream teared him away from his thoughts.  
  
He saw Neville and Hermione crying out in pain. He watched her closely, not sorry for an excuse to look at her, although, for some reason, he didn't like seeing herin pain. This was news to him, as he had been verbally torturing her for the whole of her school life. He took one last look at her as she rushed up to the hospital wing, secretly hoping she was alright.  
  
They went to see Madam Pomfrey to get something put on it to take away the pain and the burning. She rubbed a sloppy red cream on the burns, which stung for a moment, but the seemed to make it better, although the marks were still there.  
  
At 1:10, she left the hospital wing, and went down to the Great Hall, unaware that Draco was watching her every move. She went to sit down next to Ron, and asked where Harry was.  
  
'Quidditch practise,' he said thickly, shovelling sausages into his mouth.  
  
'How come the rest of the team are here?' she asked, 'and slow down!'  
  
He shrugged and said, 'Probably locking his broomstick away. You know how he is with it, keeps it guarded with half a dozen spells. Honestly, he can be so paranoid sometimes!'  
  
They continued talking, when Professor McGonagall rushed in from the direction of the hospital wing and ran up to the staff table. She bent over and whispered something into Professor Dumbledore's ear. He stood up so suddenly, he knocked his chair backwards.  
  
'All students will go to their common rooms immediately! Do not go into your dormitories though - you must all stay together!' he said, emphasising the last 2 words. 'Prefects lead the way!'  
  
Ron and Hermione turned to leave, when a hand on their shoulders pulled them back. 'Come with me,' Professor McGonagall said.  
  
They made their way up to Dumbledore and looked at McGonagall with puzzled expressions on their faces.  
  
'There's been an attack,' she said shortly, looking extremely upset.  
  
Hermione and Ron looked at each other, thinking the worst.  
  
'Who?' Hermione said, dreading the answer.  
  
'I - I'm sorry.' came the reply. 'He's in the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey says he will pull through. We think it was a warning.'  
  
'A - a warning? Wh - What happened?' stuttered Hermione, fighting back tears.  
  
'The Cr - Cruciatus curse,' said McGonagall, in a voice identical to Hermiones.  
  
'Who.?' asked Ron, trailing off.  
  
'Well, judging from the note left.'  
  
'There was a note? What did it say?' asked Ron.  
  
Dumbledore and McGonagall looked at each other  
  
'Albus.' she started, but Dumbledore handed them a parchment, with green writing on, which read:  
  
"He will be my Death-Eater and together we will rid the world of Mudbloods and Muggles. No one will stand in my way; not even the famous Harry Potter."  
  
'Judging from the note left,' Dumbledore continued for her, 'we think it was Voldemort.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/n: Well, I hope that's a cliffie! I'll start workind on Draco and Hermione on the next chapter, so read and review! I'd like to say thanks to these people: Kekki - thanks, ur review was gr8, really helpful! Thanks again! Lil-Blue-Chimp - cheers! Keep writin urs! Email me! Did u go wiv Becky? Sarah - thanks a lot, keep readin and reviewin!!!!! SpunkySimmy - thanks 4 the tip, ive changed it now 2 PG-13! (I hope its worked!) 


	4. The 'get together'

A/n: I hope I left u all on a cliffie last time! Well, read and review, here's the next chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, just the plot.  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
Hermione was running down the corridor to her common room, hardly able to see where she was going, as the tears blurred her vision. She was at the portrait of Sir Cadogan in no time, and didn't stop to listen to what he had to say, but just shouted out the password and ran inside.  
  
The first thing she saw was Malfoy pacing up and down the room, and when he saw Hermione, she saw a look of relief spread across his face.  
  
'Hermione -' he started, and walked towards her, looking genuinally worried, but he didn't finish.  
  
She slapped him hard across the face and started crying again.  
  
'How DARE you call me Hermione after what you've done to Harry!' she screamed at him. 'Harrys been put under the Cruciatus curse, and it's all your fault!' She was totally out of control, and moved towards Malfoy, trying to hit him again, but he grabbed her arms.  
  
'Hermione, what do you mean? How's it my fault? Tell me!' and he led her to the sofa, still holding her arms.  
  
'It's your fault because you're whole family are Death Eaters, and if you hadn't been supporting him, he couldn't have come back to power, and killed Harry!' she said, becoming more and more angry with every syllable.  
  
'Hermione, I'm not a Death Eater.' he said quite angrily, and walked to the other side of the room, with his back facing her.  
  
'Wh-, what do you mean you're not a Death Eater? All your family are Death Eaters!' she said. She had stopped crying from the shock of this news, and was listening intently to what Draco had to say.  
  
'Only my dad actually, and since I refused to be one, he put me under the Cruciatus curse too, then threw me out, OK?! Satisfied?!' he said and stormed into the kitchen.  
  
He hadn't meant to shout at Hermione like that, but he didn't like people assuming that just because he was in Slytherin, he had to be a Death Eater. He felt guilty though, he knew she would be feeling pretty bad.  
  
She was.  
  
Hermione sat on the couch, wondering how she could jump to these conclusions. She might not like Malfoy, but she didn't want to make him feel that bad. She went after him.  
  
'Draco - I.' she started, but he looked up at her and waved his hand, as though waving her apologies away.  
  
'It was my fault, I shouldn't have gone off like that. I'm sorry.' he said.  
  
'Do the other Slytherins know yet?' she asked, wondering how they could still like him after he rejected Voldemort.  
  
'Ermm..no. They're the only 'friends' I do have at the moment, and if I tell them, then.' he trailed off.  
  
'He's acting so un-Malfoy-ish!'she thought to herself. He's not as bad as he puts on. This made her think.  
  
'Why do you act nastily to people?' she asked suddenly.  
  
'Act?' he said, trying to be tough again, but he knew it wasn't going to work, so he continued normally. 'If I was nice to all the Gryffindors, my father would've thrown me out years ago!' he said simply.  
  
'Draco, you know you said you didn't have any proper friends, well.' Hermione tried to say it. 'If you want, you know, we could, em, well.'  
  
'I'd like that,' he said with a weak smile, but she knew he meant it. She returned the smile and went to her room, all thoughts of Harry lost.  
  
She sat down on her 4-poster and thought hard. She was beginning to like Draco, maybe even more than like, but she knew he would never feel the same. He was perfect, as she thought even more, nice personality, independent, and quite a looker! She lay there and closed her eyes, still awake, yet dreaming of the possibilities. But they were only dreams.  
  
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Draco was thinking exactly the same things about Hermione, but also thought nothing was going to happen. He desperately wanted to see her, and knew if he did date her, his father couldn't do anything, as he had disowned him that very summer. He made up his mind, and crept into her room.  
  
'She looks so peaceful,' he thought as he saw her lying there. He went up to her and sat down carefully on the edge of the bed. He looked at her closely, and wondered how she could have been so kind to him after years of insults and embarrasment. He stroked her hair absent mindedly.  
  
Little did he know, she was not asleep, or even tired in the least. She had heard her door open about 10 minutes ago, and had heard him walk over. The bed had sagged slightly where he had sat down. Nothing happened for 5 minutes, but then she felt his hands running through her smooth hair.  
  
He realized how late it was, closed his eyes and bent down to guve her a goodnight kiss on the cheek, but was surprised when he felt a pair of lips against his. As much as he liked it, he jerked backwards in surprise.  
  
'Hermione!' he shouted, 'I thought - I thought you were asleep!'  
  
'I know,' she said, with a bit of a grin.  
  
'I-I'm really, really sorry,' he spluttered, I should go now.'  
  
'No! Draco, wait.' she held out her hand, and he took it.  
  
'Hermione, you know you said about us being friends, well.is there any chance we could.you know.be a bit more?' he said quietly.  
  
She smiled in response, and kissed him again.  
  
'Does that answer your question?'  
  
He grinned at her, and walked out of her room, considerably happier than he had been before, or possibly, than he had ever been in his life. 


	5. Intimacy

A/n: Right, I apologise before you read this, this chapter is really bad, I'm trying to do my sci hwk at same time, and have run out of ideas! So.if you really must, give me a bad review, but every1 review anyway!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, wish I did though!  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
Hermione and Draco were sat at opposite ends of the Great Hall. No one knew that they were an item yet, but it was surprising no one had guessed, the way they were behaving that breakfast time.  
  
Earlier on, they had come down together, holding hands and laughing, but went their separate ways when they reached the entrance to the Great Hall. They couldn't help themselves from glancing at each other, and everytime they did, they would either smile and mouth, 'What?' and start laughing or pull faces so that the other would erupt in a fit of giggles, soon followed by the other one.  
  
Over at the Slytherin table, Draco had burst into laughter, while Pansy was talking to him. Fact was, he hadn't even noticed her sit down.  
  
'Something wrong hun?' she asked.  
  
'What did you say? Oh god, not you, go away!' he moaned, and smiled to himself again.  
  
'You've been acting really odd ever since you got back Dracie' she said, trying to wrap her arms around his neck.  
  
'Eugh! Get off me! And for your information, I have NOT been acting odd, I've just realised how annoying and self-obsessed you are, that's all!' he retorted, and walked off.  
  
At the Gryffindor house table: 'Ermm....Hermione, what are you laughing at?' asked Harry, slightly worried about Hermiones sanity, after she started giggling uncontrollably all of a sudden, during Harry and Rons conversation about Quidditch.  
  
She tried to talk, but couldn't as she was still laughing that much, so the best she could do was shake her head, and wave her hand, which meant 'never mind'.  
  
Later on that day, after lunch, Draco and Hermione met up in their common room.  
  
'I hate you!' she said laughing. 'Why d'you keep making me laugh, Harry and Ron think I'm going nuts!'  
  
'Not my fault,' he said, laughing as well, 'you better stop looking at me - I keep laughing too ya know!'  
  
'Me looking at you?!' she cried out indignantly, 'get over yourself!'  
  
They both started laughing again, and collapsed onto the sofa. Hermione accidentally rolled on top of Draco.  
  
'Now, now Hermione, I know you love me, but hadn't we better take this relationship one step at a time?' he said mockingly.  
  
'Shut up ferret-boy!' she said, slightly embarrassed.  
  
'Or what? You'll curse me?'  
  
'I said shut up!' she said smiling.  
  
'Make me!' he challenged.  
  
'That I can do,' she said, coming in to kiss him, but he pushed her off.  
  
'Hey! What was that for?!' she asked angrily, but he just shrugged and ran into his room, laughing.  
  
'Right Draco Malfoy! You will pay for that!' she said following him.  
  
They stayed in there until Transfiguration, which was 15 minutes away. (a/n: It's not what you think! They just talked and stuff, ok, so they made out a bit, but nothing more! Ok?!)  
  
'Mr Malfoy! Will you please stop interrupting my class!' Professor McGonagalls voice sounded through the room loudly.  
  
Draco had fallen off his chair, and had collapsed in silent giggles, with the looks that him and Hermione had been exchanging across the room. He got back on, still laughing slightly, but rubbing his back where he hit the ground, and had a tinge of pink in his pale cheeks from embarassment.  
  
'Now Mr Malfoy has regained himself,' said McGonagall impatiently, shooting dark looks at Draco, 'we can begin changing our given animals into cages. OK, everyone get into pairs, and you may begin!'  
  
Hermione was working with Neville again, which she wasn't too happy about after the potions incident. She decided to do all the work herself ad let him watch; it was safer, but not totally foolproof (this is the Neville after all!)  
  
'...and you wave your wand like that!' she finished.  
  
'Errm - so..could you just repeat the bit about, err, the start?' he asked, frantically taking notes.  
  
But she was too busy staring at Draco to listen. Neville started trying to get her attention, and she eventually snapped.  
  
'For f***'s sake Neville! Can't you do anything by yourself?!' she shouted.  
  
The whole class came to a standstill, and everyone was staring at her shocked. Then the whispering started. She looked at Neville, who looked extremely hurt, and lowered his eyes, which were filled with tears, to the ground.  
  
'Miss Granger! How dare you!' McGonagall was livid with anger. 'Apologize to Mr Longbottom right this instant, and you will be joining Mr Malfoy in detention tonight.'  
  
'Oh well, it's not all bad then,' she thought with a sigh. 'Yes, Professor' she replied, then apologized to Neville, feeling pretty bad. She then showed him how to do the spell, and he had got it by the end of the lesson.  
  
******IN DETENION******  
  
'I never knew you had it in you Hermione!' said a shocked, but smiling Draco to her that night.  
  
'I didn't mean it!' she said, remembering the look on Nevilles face.  
  
'OK Hermione! Calm down!' he said looking quite worried. 'I didn't mean to make you feel bad.'  
  
'It's OK,' she sighed, as she tried to pull down a cage from the top shelf, not quite reaching, and then fell on the floor with the heavy cage on top of her.  
  
Draco rushed over to help her. He pulled the cage off her. She tried to get up, but he straddled her, blocking her path up. He kissed her, but she pulled back with a smile on her face.  
  
'Draco!' she shrieked laughing! 'Gerroff!'  
  
'Don't you love me?' he asked sadly, wiping a pretend tear from his face. He walked to the other side of the room, faking a hurt expression.  
  
She followed giggling. 'Of course I do!' she replied, and continued the kiss passionately.  
  
The door creaked open, and they both pulled back with red faces, looking embarrased.  
  
'What happened to you two?!' she asked, looking at their hair, which was all over their faces.  
  
'Errmm...fell over,' they mumbled.  
  
'Right...' she said, not sure whether she believed them. 'Well, you can go now.' She watched them as they rushed out of the room, and she was sure she could hear giggling from down the corridor.  
  
******IN THE COMMON ROOM******  
  
'That was not funny! We were nearly caught!'  
  
'Yeah, well, where's the fun without the risk?! Draco replied.  
  
He grabbed her hand and they both collapsed onto the sofa, very busy indeed. 5 minutes later they both went into Hermiones room. They didn't come out until next morning.  
  
  
  
a.n: aaahhhhhh!!!! Wot were they up 2 then?! 3 guesses! Lol. I've properley planned out the story now, so I should be updating quicker! R/r please! I'll luv u all 4eva if u do!!!!!!!!!! 


	6. Dracos secret

A/n: Right, I'm getting a lot of comments about what happened @ the end of the last chapter (u know what I'm talking about!), and I'm really sorry, but it needed to happen as 'a sign of their everlasting love for each other' and the mere fact that they were both extremely attracted to each other had nothing to do with it! But I'll shut up now, and if you have reviewed, there should be a thank you @ the bottom, so r/r!  
  
Disclaimer: yeah, we know I don't own ne thin but the plot, so lets get on with this pathetic excuse for a story shall we.?  
  
CHAPTER 6  
  
Hermione was the first to emerge the next morning, tousled haired, but smiled at the sight of Draco sleeping. She went out to make coffee, and left him to sleep, but little did she know, he wasn't as peaceful as he looked.  
  
******DRACOS DREAM******  
  
He was running. He could hear a voice calling his name, but it wasn't clear. He was imagining it, or was he? There wasn't time to think, he had to run; run far away, it wasn't safe. The voice was getting louder; he definitely wasn't hearing things. The voice turned into a scream, and as he ran faster, he tripped. He went over and landed with a thud and a crack as his ankle snapped. The fast footsteps behind him slowed down to a walk, and the voice faded. They knew he wasn't going to get away. A tall, thin man with long blonde hair towered over Draco. He was familiar - Draco knew who it was; it was the man who was supposed to love him, supposed to protect him, supposed to care for him. But he didn't. He only heard one word escape his fathers lips before his muscles set on fire. Then the white hot knives penetrated his body, cruelly twisting around inside him. All he could see was red as blood fell around and into his eyes. Every part of his body was in pain. A voice started calling his name again, but it was softer, more loving, more welcome than his fathers harsh rasp. He heard the word echo inside his mind once more, before he realised he could not think any more, and he fell into darkness; 'Crucio'.  
  
***********************************************************  
  
'Draco?!' Hermione screamed, dropping both coffee cups, as she saw him asleep, but now writhing about in pain. 'Draco! Wake up!'  
  
She ran over to him and shook him hard. He woke with a start. His skin was clammy and cold, and he was shaking.  
  
'Hermione!' he said weakly, but he was relieved to see her.  
  
'What happened?!' she asked, and reluctantly, he told her.  
  
'So that actually used to happen?! He put you under the Cruciatus curse?!' she asked, horrified that his own dad would do that to him.  
  
'What did your mother do to stop it?' she asked, taking his hand. Draco swallowed, but then realised he could tell her, and moved closer.  
  
'Nothing, she couldn't really. He got his friends to do it on her, that's why,' he replied, a look of pure revulsion on his face, as he thought back. 'He would get really mad if mother and me didn't live up to his perfect standards, so he would do the curse on me, and get the other Death-Eaters to either do the curse on her, or hit her.' He finished, and tried desperately to fight back tears.  
  
Hermione kissed his cheek where a tear had fallen, and held him close. She had a knack of comforting him, and so they spent the next hour talking about stuff, nothing in particular, but they were glad they were with each other, and Draco didn't regret for one minute telling her about his family life. They were about to make their way to the kitchen to steal some food, as they wanted to stay up all night, but spotted Dumbledore and McGonagall talking, so they slipped into a shadowy corner and waited. They were still near enough to hear what they were saying though.  
  
'Albus, we mustn't tell him! He's already scared enough, without him knowing that two people are after him, especially one of them being You Know Who!' said McGonagall, whispering the last part and shuddering slightly.  
  
'Minerva! We have no choice! He must always be on his guard!' argued back Dumbledore.  
  
Hermione was shocked and scared. Voldemort and Wormtail must be coming after Harry.  
  
'Albus, we.' she started, but Dumbledore put out his hand to interrupt her.  
  
'I will be making my way down to his quarters immediately.' he said, and turned around.  
  
'Albus!' cried McGonagall in one last attempt to stop him.  
  
'Minerva! I am going to inform Mr Malfoy of the present situation, and however highly I value your opinions, I believe I am not wrong this time. I am sure he has a right to know if his father and Voldemort plan on making him a Death Eater. It is for his own safety, and I am convinced that Draco has no interest in joining the Dark Side.' And with that, he turned and left for their common room.  
  
Hermione turned to look at Draco, expecting to see sadness, or fear, but he had a blank expression on his face, and was staring at the wall.  
  
'Draco?' she said, but he just blinked. After a few minutes, he finally acknowledged she was there.  
  
'Sorry Hermione,' he said in a quiet, husky voice. He looked up at her face, and tried to explain. 'You know I don't want to, and I won't, but it was inevitable, those two coming after me I mean.' He suddenly looked fearful, and grabbed her hand. 'Promise me you won't leave me?' he asked.  
  
'I promise,' she said, and they both made their way down to the common room to meet Dumbledore, both their good moods gone, and both wondering how long it would be before Lucius and Voldemort did turn up.  
  
  
  
A/n: yeah, I know, really soppy, but I cant help it! They're in lurrrrve! (I think!)  
  
A/n: thanks 2 these people: Lil-blue-chimp - keep writing Robyn! Now! Malusha - thanks Leanne! U shud write 1 u know! Kekki - I luv Draco fics 2! Especially daco/herm. 1's! Sarah - thanks, I think I read ur story -v. gud! Spunky Simmy - wow! Ur story is gr8! U hav 2 keep writin! Really original 2! Devious - I've updated! Just 4 u! lol, but r/r! Beau Couer - I was gonna make it difficult, but I cudnt help it! Sorry! I cant spell 2 save my life! Sorry (again!) and thank u! Xtreme Nuisance - I updated, so more draco/herm. 4 u! Jenni - read ur story 2! Really gud! U didn't skip btw, I did! I changed it now tho! Kandi - thanks! I will! DracosGirlMakayla - thank u! sum1 who agrees with me! He is the fittest guy eva! Keep reading please! Ill see if u hav ne stories and read them! Raya Lyons - I lurve him 2! We did need 2 know that! Honestly! lol Becky - read more and review (lil blue box @ bottom!) but thanks! 


	7. Don't panic, everythings OK?

A/n: hi ppl! Sorry if I tuk ages updatin, but I had 'writers block' and tons of coursework to hand in, but getting on.thank yous @ the bottom! O, by the way, '*' means, see the bottom, and theres a lil note 4 y'all explainin!  
  
CHAPTER 7  
  
Hermione woke up to Draco the next morning. They were sharing beds now, as it felt safer. She looked down at him with mixed emotions; she really liked him, and thought it really unfair that he had to go through this just because his father was a puppet to the most evil control freak ever. She went out to get coffee, but sat down on the couch, and started pummelling the cushions, wishing it were Lucius's head.  
  
10 minutes later, Draco emerged, his silvery blonde hair tousled and his eyes barely open. He sat down next to Hermione and then remembered what happened last night. She looked up and took his hand. With his other arm, he held her close. Eventually, he decided to break the silence.  
  
'So.Good morning..' he said.  
  
'Draco, about last night.' Hermione started, but he really didn't want to have this conversation right now, I mean, it was 7:30 on a Saturday morning, and he had just found out that the most powerful, evil wizard of all time and his 'shit-for-brains' dog of a father were practically stalking him, wanting him to join them, because their twisted idea of humour was watching a few people die slowly and painfully. *  
  
'Hermione,' he sighed, 'can we talk later.I'm really not in the mood right now, thanks.' And with that, he got up, kissed her on the forehead and left her there, feeling very helpless indeed.  
  
***********************************************  
  
It was now after lunch, and Hermione had not seen Draco all day, and was getting quite worried. She returned to their common room. He wasn't there, or his room, or the bathroom, and now she was really scared. She sat in her room, and although she was tired, she tried to think where he could be, trying to ignore the fact that Voldemort and Lucius could have taken him. Eventually, after hours of thinking, she couldn't fight her tiredness any longer, and fell asleep.  
  
Next morning, Hermione woke up, and then remembered about Draco, and ran into his room. His bed was made, and he was not there; he hadn't been there all night. She got dressed and hurried out to breakfast. She sat down, and scanned the Slytherin table for a head of blonde hair that could only be Draco's. She didn't find anything, but then thought, 'he could just be in his Slytherin dorm, and lost track of time.' She kept thinking this, hoping it was true, as it didn't involve the word, 'Voldemort,' 'Lucius,' 'Death- Eater,' or 'murder.'  
  
Third lesson was Transfiguration, and she knew Malfoy would never miss this class in particular, as one third of his final grade depended on it (a/n: convenient, eh??). She suddenly felt sick with worry. She looked over to where the other Slytherins normally sat; all were present except Pansy. This made Hermione even more uncomfortable, as there were rumours circulating about her involvement with Voldemort (a/n: again, very convenient!). All lesson, she sat worrying about Draco and where he could be. One long hour later, she hurried out, shouting to a confused Ron and Harry, 'I'll be down at lunch! Don't bother waiting!'  
  
She ran down to a large statue of a griffin, which marked the entrance to Dumbledore's office. She quickly tried to think of the password, which everybody knew usually involved some kind of sweet. 'Cockroach cluster? Bertie Bott's every flavour beans, Chocolate frogs? Fizzing Whizbees?' she shouted desperately. After 5 minutes, she had gone through every sweet she could think of that would be present in Honeyduke's, before coming across 'Jelly Slugs'. As soon as she said this, the griffin started to rotate, revealing a spiral staircase. She sprinted up them, 2 at a time, before reaching a scarlet, circular room. A long mahogany desk was situated at the other side of the room, with a tall chair behind it. At the moment, the chair was facing away from her, and she was not sure he knew she was there, or was even in, but then... 'Good afternoon Miss Granger! And what can I do for you?'  
  
15 minutes passed** and Dumbledore finally raised from his chair, having listened to everything that Hermione had said. He has an extremely worried look on his face, which was not comforting her at all. 'What's wrong Professor?' she asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.  
  
'Well,' he said, and seemed reluctant to tell her, but then decided against it, 'My Dark Detectors have been picking up some quite strong signals over the past two days. In fact, it seems that they have been busy ever since Mr. Malfoy's disappearance...which is quite disturbing.'  
  
Hermione looked up. A thousand and one accidents, which could have happened to him, raced through her mind, but she tried to shut them out.  
  
'What are we going to do Professor?' she asked quietly.  
  
'We? I don't think there is anything you can do Miss Granger, except keep an eye out and tell me if anything happens. I am very sorry.' He looked away, but then turned to face her quickly again, as if suddenly very interested about something.  
  
'Miss Granger, if you don't mind me asking, why are you so concerned about Mr Malfoy? I thought you hated him, and wouldn't give a second glance if Voldemort took him?'  
  
Hermione shifted uneasily at his words, and replied in a quiet voice, 'Well, I needed him to help me with some prefect duties, and then didn't see him around, so I thought.well, anyway..I'll tell you if anything happens. Thank you Professor.'  
  
'Miss Granger, before you go, there is something I feel I must tell you,' he said. She turned around, puzzled.  
  
'I said my Dark Detectors had been busy, well, they have been picking up extremely strong signals around the school, and they are so strong, they could easily be detecting any of the 3 Unforgivable Curses. If anything has happened to Mr Malfoy.well, I just hope we find him soon.'  
  
Hermione stood, shocked, turned and walked quickly out, determined to find Draco. She walked through the corridors, looking in every corner, and finally reached the dungeons. She went around a corner, and saw a flash of blonde against the dark. 'Draco!' she breathed, and ran nearer, but when she got there, a sight met her eyes that she could not bear to take in, as she filled with tears.  
  
  
  
A/n: right, heres what the lil stars mean:  
  
* = sorry bout that, bad day, had 2 let it all out ** = cudnt b bothered explainin!!! Sorry, but u already know everything.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Malusha - thank u!!! luv ya!!! lil_blue_chimp - cheers! Glad uv updated, and no it wasn't rubbish!!! silverangel - id like 2 thank u in particular! Have u got an account yet? keep emailing! Slytherin lover - thank u!!! ill try 2 write them longer, but I don't want 2 talk shit! Roswell4ever - thank you!!! Glad sum1 likes it!! Lol Wajma Raja - if ur out there, thanks 4 the email! Merry Xmas and a happy new year 2 u 2!!! (I'm assuming ur potter stalker!) E M McCaff - special thanks!! I luv ur review! I felt so damn good!!! Keep reviewing!! Luv ya!  
  
AND A HAPPY HOLIDAYS/MERRY XMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!! ( 


	8. How could he?

Disclaimer: I own nowt, just this plot (if that's what you can call it!!)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 8  
  
Hermione's mouth dropped open at the sight which met her. Draco was standing there with his arms wrapped around Pansy Parkinson. They looked very busy, in fact, it was hard to tell where he ended, and she started. Hermione walked nearer him, but he didn't seem to notice she was there.  
  
'Draco?' she choked.  
  
He pulled away from Pansy, and looked at her like he used to, at the start of the year, her entire school life, when he still regarded her as a mudblood.  
  
'What do you want Granger? Looking for Potty and the Weasel? Sorry, haven't seen them, now if you don't mind..!' he said sarcastically, and turned back to Pansy.  
  
Hermione was really hurt. She couldn't believe he was doing this to her, especially in front of her.  
  
'Draco, what.?' she started, but she couldn't finish.  
  
He turned around again, this time extremely annoyed about her interrupting.  
  
'What now?! And stop calling me Draco! Go away mudblood!' Draco spat.  
  
Pansy was stood there with a satisfied expression on her squashed little face. She had her arm draped around him, and was looking at Hermione with extreme smugness.  
  
'You still here, muggle?' she said scornfully, and moved closer to Draco.  
  
'B - b - but Draco, I - I thought..' she said, but trailed off, unable to take in what she was seeing.  
  
'You thought we were still "together" right? Wrong! What would I want with a filthy mudblood Gryffin-whore, when I can have pureblood Slytherins? So o find Potty and Weasel, or if they wont have you, there's always Longbottom!' he sneered, and left the dungeons with Pansy at his side.  
  
  
  
A/n: short chapter I know, but I have the plot sorted! I'm so pleased! I got 4 reviews just 1 day after I updated, so thank you to.. ShadyzModelingBaby, Cho Chang, Fruit Loop, Potter's Girl. Thank u loads!!! Happy new year! 


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